The late Lancashire vvitches A well received comedy, lately acted at the Globe on the Banke-side, by the Kings Majesties Actors. Written, by Thom. Heyvvood, and Richard Broome.
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- Title
- The late Lancashire vvitches A well received comedy, lately acted at the Globe on the Banke-side, by the Kings Majesties Actors. Written, by Thom. Heyvvood, and Richard Broome.
- Author
- Heywood, Thomas, d. 1641.
- Publication
- London :: Printed by Thomas Harper for Benjamin Fisher, and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Talbot, without Aldersgate,
- 1634.
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- Link to this Item
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http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03258.0001.001
- Cite this Item
-
"The late Lancashire vvitches A well received comedy, lately acted at the Globe on the Banke-side, by the Kings Majesties Actors. Written, by Thom. Heyvvood, and Richard Broome." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03258.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 18, 2024.
Pages
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ACTVS, I. SCENA, I. (Book 1)
Tush these are accidents, all game is (subject to.
Somewhat strange, but not as you inforce it,
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Yes where we purpos'd.
That was with Master Generous.
A Character not common in this age.
He hath spy'd us, there is no way to evade him.
That's my griefe; a most notorious lyar, out upō him.
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Let's set the best face on't.
Swcet Mr. Whetstone.
Dainty Mr. Whetstone.
D•…•…licate Master Whetstone.
You say right, Mr. Whetstone I have bin, Mr. Whet∣stone I am, and Mr. Whetstone I shall be, and those that know me, know withall that I have not my name for nothing, I am hee whom all the brave Blades of the Country use to whet their wits upon; sweet Mr. Shakton, dainty Mr. Bantham, and dainty Mr. Arthur, and how, and how, what all lustick, all froligozone? I know, you are going to my Vncles to dinner, and •…•…o am I too, What shall we all make one randevous there,
You need not doubt of your welcome.
No doubt at all kind Mr. Whetstone; but we have not seene you of late, you are growne a great stranger amongst us, I desire sometimes to give you a visit; I pray where do you lye?
Where doe I lye? why sometimes in one place, and then againe in another, I love to shift lodgings; but most con∣stantly, wheresoere I dine or sup, there doe I lye?
I thinke you are a Witch Master Whetstone.
•…•…ow? A Witch Gentlemen? I hope you doe not meane to abuse me, though at this time (if report be true there are too many of them here in our Country) but I am sure I look like no such ugly Creature.
It seemes then you are of opinion that there are Wit∣ches, for mine own part, I can hardly be induc'd to think there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 any such kinde of people.
No such kinde of people! I pray you tell me Gentle∣men, did never any one of you know my Mother?
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Why was your Mother a Witch?
I doe not say as Witches goe now a dayes, for they for the most part are ugly old Belda•…•…s, but she was a lusty young Lasse, and by her owne report, by her beauty and faire lookes bewitcht my Father.
It seemes then your Mother was rather a yong wan∣ton wench, than an old wither'd witch.
You say right, and know withall I come of two an∣cient Families, for as I am a Whetstone by the Mother-side, so I am a By-blow by the Fathers.
It appeares then by your discourse, that you came in at the window.
He hath confest himselfe to be a Bastard.
And I beleeve't as a notorious truth.
Gentlemen, it seemes you have some private businesse amongst your selves, which I am not willing to interrupt, I know not how the day goes with you, but for mine owne part, my stomacke is now much upon 12. You know what houre my Vncle keeeps, and I love ever to bee set before the first grace, I am going before, speake, shall I acquaint him with your comming after?
We meane this day to see what fare he keepes.
And so intyre us to you.
Sweet Mr. Whetstone.
Kind Mr. Bybl•…•…w.
I see you are perfect both in my name & sirname; I have 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ever bound unto you, for which I will at this time be your
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Noverint, and give him notice that you Universi will bee with him per praesentes, and that I take to be presently.
Farewell As in praesenti.
It seemes hee's peece of a Scholler.
What because he hath read a little Scriveners Latine, hee n•…•…ver proceeded farther in his Accidence than to Mentiri non est meum; and that was such a hard Lesson to learne, that he stucke at ment•…•…ri; and cu'd never reach to non est meum: since, a meere Ignaro, and not worth acknowledgement.
Are these then the best parts he can boast of?
As you see him now, so shall you finde him ever: all in one strain, there is one only thing which I wonder he left our.
And what might that be:
You name him in good time, see where he comes.
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Wherein good sir.
I ever studied plainene•…•…e, and truth withall.
I pray expresse your selfe.
Presume it sir.
Now when you please pray Enter Gentlemen.
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O sir you may command us.
True sir the same.
It was to that purpose wee discourst.
Your monie's ready,
Why I intreat you.
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Strange, but how?
Can you discourse the manner?
How thinke you might this come.
T'is thought by Witchcraft.
Nay but vnderstand me neighbor Doughty.
Good master Seely I do understand you, and over and over understand you so much, that I could e'ene blush at your fondnesse; and had I a sonne to serve mee so, I would con∣ure a divell out of him.
Alas he is my childe.
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No, you are his childe to live in feare of him, indeed they say old men become children againe, but before I would become my childes childe, and make my foot my head, I would stand upon my head, and kick my heels at the sides.
You do not know what an only son is, O see, he comes now if you can appease his anger toward me, you shall doe an act of timely charity.
I wonder at your confidence, and how you dare ap∣peare before me.
A brave beginning.
O sonne be patient.
It is right reverend councell, I thanke you for it, I shall study patience shall I, while you practice waies to begger mee, shall I?
Very handsome.
If ever I trangresse in the like againe—
I have taken your word too often sir and neither can nor will forbeare you longer.
What not your Father Mr. Gregory?
Whats that to you sir?
Pray tell me then sir, how many yeares has hee to serve you.
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He is a happy •…•…re that has brought vp his son to this.
Yes, for a new one to morrow.
But I did it not sonne?
Is that the businesse: why if he had done it, had hee not
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bin sufficiently secur'd in having the morgage made over to himselfe.
He does nothing but practice waies to undo himselfe, and me: a very spendthrift, a prodigall sire, hee was at the Ale but tother day, and spent a foure-penny club.
'Tis gone and past sonne.
Truely we were civily merry. But I have left it.
Your civility have you not? For no longer agoe than last holiday evening he gam'd away eight double ring'd tokens on a rubbers at bowles with the Curate, and some of his idle companions.
'Tw•…•…re good you would meddle with your own mat∣ters •…•…ir.
Sonne, sonne.
Sir, Sir, as I am not beholden to you for house or Land, for it has stood in the name of my ancestry the Seelyes above two hundred yeares, so will I look you leave all as you found it.
What is the matter con yeow tell?
O Lawrence, welcom, Thou wilt make al wel I am sure.
Yie whick way con yeow tell, but what the foule evill doone yee, heres sick an a din.
Art thou his man fellow ha? that talkest thus to him?
Yie sir, and what ma' yoew o'that, he mainteynes me to rule him, and i'le deu't, or ma'the heart weary o'the weambe on him.
This is quite upside downe, the sonne controlls the fa∣ther, and the man overcrowes his masters coxscombe, sure they are all bewitch'd.
'Twas but so, truely Lawrence; the peevish old man vex't me, for which I did my duty, in telling him his owne, and
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Doughty here maintaines him against me.
I forbodden yeow to meddle with the old carle, and let me alone with him, yet yeow still be at him, hee serv'd yeow but weell to bast ye for't, ant he were stronk enough, but an I faw foule with yee an I swaddle yee not savorly may my girts brast.
Prethee good Lawrence be gentle and do not fright thy Master so.
Yie, at your command anon.
Enough good Lawrence, you have said enough.
How trow yeou that? A fine World when a man can∣not be whyet at heame for busie brain'd neighpors.
I cannot indure it nor I will not indure it.
Hey day! the daughter upon the mother too.
One of us two, chuse you which, must leave the house, wee are not to live together I see that, but I will know, if there be Law in Lancashire for't, which is fit first to depart the house or the World, the mother or the daughter.
Daughter I say.
Do you say the daughter, for that word I say the mother, unlesse you can prove me the eldest, as my discretion almost war∣rant it, I say the mother shall out of the house or take such cour∣ses in it as shall sort with such a house and such a daughter.
Daughter I say, I wil take any course so thou wilt leave thy passton; indeed it hurts thee childe, I'le sing and be merry, weare as fine clothes, and as delicate dressings as thou wilt have me, so thou wilt pacifie thy selfe, and be at peace with me.
O will yo•…•… so, in so doing I may chance to looke upon you. Is this a fit habite for a handsome young Gentlewo∣mans mother, as I hope to be a Lady, you look like one o'the Scottish wayward sisters, O my hart has got the hickup, and all
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look 〈◊〉〈◊〉 greene about 〈◊〉〈◊〉; a merry song now mother, and thou shalt be my white girle.
Ha, ha, ha! she's overcome with joy at my conversion.
She is most evidently bewitcht.
Thus wodden yeou doone and I were dead, but while I live yoeu fadge not on it, is this aw the warke yeou con •…•…ine?
Now comes the Mayd to set her Mis•…•…sses to work.
Nay p•…•…i'thee sweet Parnell, I was but chiding the old wife for her unhandsomnes•…•…e, and would have been at my work presently, she tels me now she will weare fine things, and I shall dresse her head as I list.
Here's a house well govern'd?
Dresse me no dressings, lessen I dresse yeou beth, and learne a new lesson with a wainon right now, han I bin a ser∣vant here this halfe dozen o'yeares, and con I fee yeou idler then my selve!
Nay pritheesweet Parnell content, & hark thee—
I have knowne this, and till very lately, as well go∣vern'd a Family as the Country yeilds, and now what a nest of severall humors it is growne, and all divellish ones, sure all the VVitches in the Country, have their hands in this home-spun medley; and there be no few 'tis thought.
Yie, yie, ye shall ye shall, another time, but not naw I thonke yeou, yeou shall as soone pisse and paddle in't, as •…•…lap me in the mouth with an awd Petticoat, or a new paire 〈◊〉〈◊〉
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shoine, to be whyet, I cannot be whyet, no•…•… I wonnot be why∣et, to see sicky doings I.
Hold thy prattle Parnell, aw's com'd about as weene a had it, wotst thou what Parnell? wotst thou what? o deare, wo•…•…st thou what?
VVhat's the fond wexen waild trow I.
We han bin in love these three yeares, and ever wee had not enough, now is it com'd about that our love shall be at an end for ever, and a day, for wee mun wed may hunny, we mun wed.
What the Deowl ayles the lymmer lowne, bin thy braines broke lowse trow I.
Sick a waddin was there never i' Loncoshire as ween couple at on Monday newst.
Awa awaw, sayn yeou this sickerly, or done you but jaum me?
I jaum thee not nor flam thee not, '•…•…is all as true as booke, here's both our Masters have consented and concloyded, and our Mistresses mun yeild toyt, to put aw house and lond and aw they have into our hands.
Awa, awaw.
And we mun marry and be master and dame of aw.
Awa, awaw.
And theyn be our Sijourners, because they are weary of the world, to live in frendiblenesse, and see what will come on't.
Awa, awaw, agone.
Nay 'tis true Parnell, here's both our hands on't, and give you joy.
And ours too, and 'twill be fine Ifackins.
Whaw, whaw, whaw, whaw!
Here's a mad businesse towards.
I will bespeake the Guests.
And I the meat:
I'le dresse the dinner, though I drip my sweat.
My care shall sumptuous parrelments provide.
And my best art shall trickly trim the Bride.
VVhaw, whaw, whaw, whaw.
Ile get choyce musick for the merriment.
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And I will waite with wonder the event.
VVhaw, whaw, whaw, whaw.